RIVER EROSION AT MOUTOA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3706, 20 October 1927, Page 2

RIVER EROSION AT MOUTOA.

GOVERNMENT REFUSES

SUBSIDY.

COUNTY COUNCIL DISAPPOINTED.

Recently the Manawatu County Council applied to the Public Works Department for financial assistance ti construct a channel to relieve flood waters on the western side of the Manawatu river at Moutoa, [near the old bridge site, where ero‘sion threatens an area, of land.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Council the following letter was received from the Minister of Public Works, through Mr. J. Linklater, M.P., concerning the Council’s request for help. “With reference to a request made by you on behalf of the Manawatu County Council that the Government subsidise their expenditure on the work proposed by them for the protection of the west bank of the Manawatu River just above the old bridge on the Foxton-Shan-non Main Highway, I have had this proposal examined by my Department. They reported that the scheme of the county, to cut a short channel through the point opposite the eroded bank, is not a practicable one, unless this channel were long enough to cut off the whole bend which would cost something between £6OOO and £7OOO. A channel near the point as proposed by the County Council would, even if it diverted .the flood waters, which is very doubtful, only result in shifting the point of attack on the west bank further down stream.

“An adequate protective scheme against the present erosion would also be prohibitive in cost, with the channel in its present position, on account of the sharp bend in the river. The river here is forming one of its characteristic bends winch in many cases the flood waters of the* river itself cut, off when the loop has become sufficiently elongated.

“An examination of other natural cut-offs, as shown on the plan of this riyer, seems to indicate that this position will soon be reached here, and erosion preparatory to a cut-off, should soon become apparent on the east bank above and below the erosion on the west bank. Of course this will not be immediately, and further erosion will take place before a cut-off occurs, but I consider the proper and most economical thing to do is to shift the road and stop bank back to a safe position beyond which maximum elongation of the loop is likely to occur. It would seem advisable to shift the road at least ten chains back from the river and probably 15 chains would be safer. “This road will soon cease to become a Main Highway, and I regret, therefore, that I cannot see my way to grant any subsidy toward the cost of auy work proposed to protect the road.

“It appears to be a case on which the County and the River Board should consult together, as to the best remedial measures for the protection of the road and stop banksj and one on which these local bodies should arrange their own finance.”

1 The chairman said .the reply was both unsympathetic and disappointing to him. “The settlers in the area affected,” continued Councillor Barber, “have raised loans to the tune l of nearly £3OOO to maintain this through road to Shannon. To-day . we are confronted with the same j danger, with the difference that the , position is more acute. To permit . the existing condition to remain may even result in a disaster. I would suggest that the Council leave the matter in my hands to draft a reply to the Minister’s letter.” Mr. G. Hickford, county engineer, considered that the Public Works Department had made the estimate big to try and choke us off. The chairman: Yes, that’s my view absolutely. Mr. Hickford: I don’t think it is necessary to spend £6OOO or £7OOO on the work. A" shorter channel would do the work. To do protective work is out of all reason as there is no material.available. The chairman: Protective work would be no good. , , 1 <‘At any rate,” continued Mr. Hickford, • “something has to be done. We will have to spend about £IOOO to shift the road and build a new stopbank.” The chairman said that his idea was that the channel cutting machine used at Mangahao could be used to do the necessary work. On the motion of Councillors H. J. Perrett and W. Pearce, the following resolution was carried: “That the Council express extreme disappointment at the reply received from the Minister of Public Works to the Council’s request for assistance to cut a channel in the Manawatu River bed at Moutoa to relieve the pressure on the banks.”